Pune, Maharashtra (April 18, 2025): The Crime Branch of Pune Police has filed an 893-page chargesheet in the Swargate rape case, naming Dattatray Ramdas Gade as the prime accused. The chargesheet was submitted on Thursday before Judicial Magistrate First Class V.A. Makandar. The chargesheet was filed within 52 days of the alleged incident. It includes statements from 82 witnesses. Depositions from five of them have already been recorded in court.
The case involves the alleged rape of a young woman inside a Shivshahi bus parked at the Swargate depot in the early hours of February 25. Gade, a 37-year-old resident of Gunat village in Shirur, is accused of raping the victim twice inside the bus.
The chargesheet includes key evidence such as data from 12 panchanamas. These include Google search history analysis, sound intensity verification, a test identification parade, CCTV footage, and multiple witness statements.
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According to the reports, Charges have been filed under the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita for rape under Section 64, repeated rape under Section 64(2)(m), intimidation under Section 351(2), intentional harm under Section 115(2), and wrongful confinement under Section 127(2).
Following public outrage, Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar transferred the investigation to the Crime Branch. Gade had fled to his native village after the incident. He was arrested from a farm in Gunat using drone surveillance, a canine squad, and assistance from locals.
Gade was initially remanded to 12 days of police custody. He is currently lodged in Yerawada Central Jail under judicial custody.
According to the reports, the investigation was led by officer Shailesh Sankhe. The team gathered a wide range of physical, biological, medical, technical, circumstantial, and scientific evidence. The chargesheet was filed by government prosecutor Bhagyashree Dagale-Sancheti.